This invention relates to an automatic clutch for a motor vehicle for use in connection with a manually shifted transmission for selectively connecting the output shaft of the vehicle engine to the input shaft of the transmission.
Automatic automobile clutches have been known in the prior art and usually make use of a pneumatic control motor. The motor is usually arranged to provide disengagement of the clutch through negative pressure action on the control motor. No especially high demands are made on the disengagement process, since prior to disengagement, the engine shaft and transmission shaft are operating at the same speed. Engagement of the clutch, on the other hand, which is usually effected through venting of the control motor must be effected as smoothly as possible to avoid intolerable shocks and jerks in the vehicle motion as the clutch is engaged. In one arrangement, the pneumatic control motor is used for actuation of the clutch only while the vehicle is moving, for shifting of the manually-operated transmission from one gear to the other. In this arrangement the venting of the control motor can occurs at a variable rate, which depends on the position of the accelerator pedal. For initially starting the vehicle in motion, however, a special centrifical clutch is provided to effect smooth engagement.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic clutch arrangement which is capable of engaging the engine shaft to the transmission both during travel, upon changing of gears, and also during initial starting of vehicle motion, automatically and with a high degree of passenger comfort.